Vail Pass area, CO...backcountry skiing/riding?

[devinsixtyseven]

Who's been up that area? Lotta sleds, lotta powder left, looks easy to access on foot, skin or sled.

What's it like farther in? I've been out that road in the summer, if it's sled packed, it's probably good enough to skate ski on...used to do that alot in Alaska.

Would anyone be interested in going up there? (Tho snowshoes are in order before I can do this)

-Sean

[DaveInDenver]

Who's been up that area? Lotta sleds, lotta powder left, looks easy to access on foot, skin or sled.

What's it like farther in? I've been out that road in the summer, if it's sled packed, it's probably good enough to skate ski on...used to do that alot in Alaska.

Would anyone be interested in going up there? (Tho snowshoes are in order before I can do this)

Haven't been up to Vail or Shrine Pass lately, although we were at Jones Pass two weeks ago and south of Eagle this pass weekend. The snow in the Sawatch Range plainly sucked. It's been very dry and cold, so lots of hoar on top and sugar under a thick crust. In places the melt/freeze crust was a couple of inches of bulletproof over lots of sugar, although the north aspects with only wind blown snow skied a bit better. At least I was able to hold an edge in it. Anyway, once you break the top crust, you're left with pretty much nothing good between you and the ground. The crust is too hard to break, so you gotta stay on top and if you do break through you (or least I) just sink and face plant. But I'm a pretty lousy skier on relatively light and skinny planks (Tua Nitrogens, 107/75/97, and Targas w/ all mountain cartridges) and touring boots ('99 Scarpa 2-buckle T2). Someone with super fat skis and 4-buckle monster boots might be able to stay on top or at least power through it.

Over at Jones the snow wasn't quite as unconsolidated, but there's hard layers forming. There are stashes of OK snow that are still fun, but there hasn't been a decent snow in a couple of weeks and the snow is settling into a heavy packed layer. Depending on how weather and skiers form up, you might find an occasional wind blown pocket of snow, but mostly it's tracked out crud. Coming back this weekend looked like mostly sleds up on Vail Pass, so I'm guessing the snow isn't skiing much better there. I would go up there this weekend, but I broke a buckle on my boot and have to wait until tomorrow to see about getting it fixed. If I can get that done (or maybe a mid season battlefield upgrade to new boots), this weekend is still a possibility.

[DaveInDenver]

(Tho snowshoes are in order before I can do this)

Just occurred to me, I have Atlas 'shoes that I haven't used in, oh, a decade. I've often thought I should sell them... They are big ones, for walking with a big pack. You are welcome to use them even in any case.

[devinsixtyseven]

A bc trip would definately not be for a few weeks at least, we're burning through our CO pass 10-day sets at the moment, but after that...

I just looked over the Atlas website, looks like they make a good product. Maybe in about 4-5 weeks, beginning of March some time? We're headed to Utah the third week, but a day in the backcountry would be real nice.

Might even be able to convince a friend of a friend with a sled to come with, dunno about that tho . She did get the sled with the express purpose of supporting backcountry trips, so she might be interested.

*edit* It just occurred to me that forming slabs over mush, loaded with spring snow, makes for dangerous conditions...neither Katie nor I have any formal avalanche safety training...

[cinemakatie]

We drove past Vail pass this weekend on our way to go riding. The back country looked a little crunchy. Also, it's supposed to be pretty warm this next week making everything soggy

I hear though that next week it might snow a couple of inches on Monday up there. Maybe a backcountry trip in the next month would be fun. However, I for one feel that I could stand from some avalanche training and back country courses. Anyone have any recommendations?

Katie

[DaveInDenver]

I hear though that next week it might snow a couple of inches on Monday up there. Maybe a backcountry trip in the next month would be fun. However, I for one feel that I could stand from some avalanche training and back country courses. Anyone have any recommendations?

I've done a couple of classes (I'm technically AIARE Level 1 trained). I highly, highly recommend everyone who uses the mountains in the winter take at least level 1 class and practice, practice, practice. There's a difference between a partner who's a good b/c companion and a warm body with a beacon. I'll take a cognizant buddy with no beacon (although at minimum he'll have to have a shovel and probe) over a brain-dead goober with a credit card.

None-the-less, I took my last class through Renaissance Guides here in town. They used to work out of the Mountain Miser and I signed up there. It was 1 night in class, 2 night at Berthoud Pass. That cost me about $175, but you can usually get in an avy awareness class for about half that. It's not technically a real Level 1 class, but it's good as a refresher or as a first blush.

[18seeds]

I bought a sled a few years ago for backcountry access. I've road skied Vail Pass a ton. It's perfectly set up for sled skiing. I highly advice you to give it a try. Be avy prepared.